Event

Galaxies are islands of stars, dust, and dark matter. With modern telescopes we can observe galaxies from our relative backyard (a million light years distant) to the very edge of the visible universe. However, despite appearing as cosmic islands, they are not isolated in the Universe and their evolution depends on where they live within the web of cosmic structure. I will introduce galaxies as astronomical objects, describe how astronomers observe them using a variety of telescopes on the ground and in space. I will then talk a bit about how they are affected by the places in which they live and highlight some of the most exciting future facilities for studying their evolution.